Virtual universes or virtual worlds are computer-based simulated environments intended for its users to inhabit and interact via avatars, which are graphical representations that others can see. An avatar often takes the form of a cartoon-like human character. An agent is a user's account with a virtual universe, upon which the user can build an avatar. The agent is tied to the inventory of assets the user owns. These types of virtual universes are now common in massive multiplayer online games, such as Second Life (Second Life is a trademark of Linden Research in the United States, other countries, or both). Avatars in the virtual universes can do a wide range of business and/or social activities. Virtual universes may include other virtual entities such as a virtual store, a virtual club, an article, etc. Each virtual entity including an avatar is assigned with a universally unique identification (UUID) in the virtual universe.
A variety of fraudulent behaviors may be conducted in virtual universes. For example, phishing refers to a form of fraud in which an entity, such as a website or a virtual store, masquerades as another entity by, e.g., copying the other entity's appearance and/or other characteristics. The goal of the fraudulent emulation is to, e.g., lure visitors into providing personal or financial information, which the fraudulent/phishing entity may use for monetary gains.